I think it's safe to say getting GTA Online to work has been a pain in the ass. So many people were and still are having issues just getting past the tutorial mission(s). It seems like more and more people are able to get past this now, but there are still (I'm assuming the majority) who can not get past them.

My experience trying to GTA Online to work was frustrating, but I knew there were other people successfully playing so there had to be a small probability that I'll get in and be able to play. After basically 24 hours of creating characters, watching the intro video 20 times, freezing at "waiting for players" or "launching session" and then getting the "character corrupted" message, I started to notice some things were moving and loading just a little bit further than before.

When I finally got it to work, I chose to play a solo session online. Created a new character and then went through the intro video. I hit quit game (playstation menu -> quit game) as soon as my character started walking towards the circle for the race. After that, I loaded up the single player again and used the switch character function using down on the d-pad and for the first time ever it didn't tell me that my character's data had been corrupt. From that point on, I let the game do it's thing and sat at the "launching session" screen before the race for a few minutes and never had an issue after that. I think after the race the camera zooms out and will sometimes get frozen there (I had this happen a couple times) but just let it load and slowly move along and you might have some luck.

I'm not saying what I did is a proven way of getting it to work by any means - just want you guys to know what I did so maybe you can try and do the same thing. Realistically just try to play and when you get loading screens that seem to freeze, let them play out for like 10-20 minutes. You might be able to get through. I guess the big problems initially were that they were still getting new servers online and they were having problems connecting to them.

I am still worried about going back and trying to play tonight because people are still posting that their characters are being deleted -.-

hmmmm I guess I haven't had those same problems, the first time it went thru the race loaded fine but after I completed it out got real glitchy so I let it do its thing for a while and it smoothed out and I haven't had my character erased or anything... but then again I'm usually switching to online around 2 am so maybe I've been lucky playing during lower traffic times

Got matched up for my beginning mission after the first race with some kid. On the way to the mission start, he must've hit the wrong button, bailed from the driver seat at high speed. I sidled over, kept driving. I don't have a mic, so I just get a one sided tirade basically saying bring back the car you f'ing idiot.

At f'ing idiot, I do bring back the car... And run him down. Over the course of the mission, I shot him like eight times... Gonna get a bad rep, I suppose, but I'm one to enjoy a world you can just shoot a dude for calling you an idiot.

Never did make the connection as to why I was shooting him seemingly at random. Over here, you f'ing idiot! Blam. You shot me! What the??!? What are you doing now? You go this way, you f'ing idiot! Blam. Heeeeeey!

I ended up getting a nicer apt w/a 10 car garage, and I stole a half decent car. Someday I'll save up and get an Entity or an Adder.I have my neon green/Navy custom Adder in SP. And of course, I got custom plates for MP and SP "SEAHAWX"

omg im sooo hooked now with online was going to join the crew but seems like nobody is playing so let me know in pm and I would love too join still figuring it out but man there is a lot to do.

God Bless America and God Bless the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - TEZ

Mike Bullene ‏@12thManM1ke 45m@TDESPN Though, you did say the other night you cannot win the SB riding a defense. Even though you are literally the poster child for that. --twittered back at dilfer after he tried to slam hawks fans.